That One Thing

When I heard him say, “Seek my face,”

my heart skipped a beat like a goat leaping high

to land on a ledge then jump to the top

of a high crag, flat, and shaded by pines

to find him there, his face lit up

by the rising sun.

I wanted to ask him to share with me

some reasons behind all the suffering,

to draw me a map of the road laid out

for the coming days. But standing before him

I suddenly knew that one thing alone

was priority.

So I bowed my heart

and listened.

The fire of his Presence warmed my soul,

the light from his eyes swept clean

the dingy crannies, the hoarded toys,

and I flew like a moth right into that flame

and found it health and life and love,

all dross removed.

To find his face is to be with him,

to know his heart and to rest, assured

that he rules the world and is wholly good,

that his Family is his true delight,

that he knows all about me

yet hugs me close.

Your face, Lord,

I will seek.[1]

“To seek his face” may seem like old-fashioned English, but it isn’t hard to understand. We live in a world of long-distance interconnections like the Internet and phones—I can even call friends in Africa for free, now, using an app! But there is nothing like talking face-to-face with someone right there beside us. Even the whole point of dating websites is to arrange an in-person meet-up. That is how you get to know someone.

But how can we be face-to-face with our God, who is invisible to us in this life?  This is powerful imagery that describes putting energy into actually encountering him spiritually:

 You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, [Yahweh], do I seek.” (Ps. 27:8 ESV)

 ³ Who shall go up to the mountain of Yahweh? Who shall take a stand in his holy place? ⁴ The clean of hands and pure of heart, whose heart is not set on vanities, who does not swear an oath in order to deceive. ⁵ Such a one will receive blessing from Yahweh, saving justice from the God of his salvation. ⁶ Such is the people that seeks him, that seeks your presence, God of Jacob. (Ps. 24:1 NJB)

To “seek his face” is to want to be with him. Yes, he is always with us, he has promised that. But do we pay attention, turning our inner eyes, the focus of our hearts, to him instead of on worthless things?  It is so easy to do the “right” things: go to church, do my work, relax, exercise, sleep. When do we actually spend time in the presence of our God who is also our Shepherd, Father, Rescuer and King? Is it just an occasional encounter, or is it a priority—that “one thing” that makes all the difference?

A song I’ve loved ever since it came out is this one by Rich Mullins:

“Who have I in Heaven but You Jesus?
And what better could I hope to find down here on earth?
I could cross the most distant reaches
Of this world, but I’d just be wasting my time
Cause I’m certain already, I’m sure I’d find

My one thing
You’re my one thing[2]

When we make intimate relationship with the Holy One one’s own life priority, our “one thing,” changes everything. It changes us, inside and out—in our inner being and in our daily life patterns. For one thing, he cleans our inner person, as was discussed here last week. For another thing, it brings fulfillment and joy.

Let’s think about what it means to “know” someone. Deep studies of how the human brain processes this have underlined that this is intensely personal. When we encounter a living person we can get to know them “in the sense that we have experience of him or her, so that we have a ‘feel’ for who he or she is. . . this kind of knowledge permits a sense of the uniqueness of the other . . .it’s mine, personal.”[3]

A first encounter is always rather superficial. But if that person lives with you, and you actually share daily life, as time goes on your understanding of that person gets increasingly deeper. Each experience points out something in their character and their values. When I was dating Glenn, my knowledge of who he is moved from that first impression of an earnest young guy who wanted to talk about birds to the intimate connection that became true love. After three years of that learning, we got married. Now, fifty-one years later, I know him incredibly more than I did then. I can predict his reactions, interpret his movements, act on his behalf in the way I know he would! That comes from sharing life, constantly, in a relationship based on respect and love.

Developing this personal intimacy with God also requires an ongoing relationship, past the initial encounters, into a firmly bonded union that will last forever. How else could Jesus’ life mission be accomplished?

Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.(Jn. 17:3 NIV)

It’s true that we cannot physically see God; this is a spiritual journey. But when we follow Jesus, giving ourselves to him, we get to know God. His Spirit lives in us instructing us as well.

No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. (Jn. 1:18 NIV)

As we get to know him while we are here on earth, our shared experiences and his wise teaching will deepen our intimacy with him and our understanding of who he is. The Word that he has given us in our language is foundational as we hear his own story, his words, and learn what matters to him. It incites growth and directs us in how to live in his presence. And prayer becomes conversation as we pour out our hearts to him and listen for his response. When we are paying attention, we can notice his actions in our lives and in the world around us. And we learn by copying him—like the way I learned how to cook, welcome guests and comfort hurting people by sharing life with my mom.

But if we don’t talk with a person, don’t listen to them, don’t share life experiences hand-in-hand, we cannot know them well. We may know about them, and like what we know, or wish we understood them. If we let life take over and don’t make them a priority, the relationship is just casual. Even marriages are often like that when the couple each does their own thing, rarely interacting in meaningful ways. Developing intimacy requires investment.

There will be moments when we “leap to a crag” high on a mountain to get close to our Heavenly Father. But he also will accompany us through every moment, as the Shepherd who watches over his sheep. He wants us to know him and he treasures our desire to live life face-to-face with him!

Seek [Yahweh] and his strength; seek his presence continually! (Ps. 105:4 ESV)

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[1] Photo credit: Tom Harpootlian. This poem was published as “His Face,” p. 14 in When He Whispers: Learning to Listen on the Journey, by Linnea Boese. Available on Amazon, ChristianBook.com and other sites.

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[2] Mullins, Richard. “My One Thing” lyrics. (Capitol CMG Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group)

[3] McGilchrist, Ianin .The Master and his Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World. (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2009 ), p. 95.

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